Things are busy, here in my corner of the USA. I’m behind in reporting on what’s happening for National Consumer Protection Week. A lot of my time has been taken up since the first of the year taking part in the Dean Ornish heart health program. It ends Wednesday. I’ll be reporting on its many benefits soon. Read more →

Before you spend money on that “Shark-approved” miracle invention, weight loss product, or keto diet pill, make sure it’s really been featured on the “Shark Tank” program. Scammers are using fake “Shark Tank” celebrity testimonials and endorsements – along with fake photos and videos – to generate publicity and profits. Read more →

A friend of mine recently received a $300 gift card under Comcast’s reward program. She thought she got it because she’s been a long-time customer. Since I’m a long-time Comcast customer, too, I thought it would be great to get $300 to spend, too. I went to the Comcast website and signed up for its rewards program. Read more →

I’m now a T-Mobile customer. Darn. I switched because I was upset that Verizon wouldn’t give me a deal on a new iPhone and I wanted to be in a family plan with my grandson from Spain who’s going to college in Massachusetts. T-Mobile announced last week that its customer records have been hacked again. Read more →

I’ve written about it before, but it’s worth highlighting again. A Consumer Reports evaluation of peer-to-peer or P2P payment apps found that users could lose money to fraud or scams and face privacy risks because app providers may share their personal information widely and it’s difficult for users to delete their data. Read more →

Financial writers recommend when you’re having money problems that you review your subscriptions. Sometimes subscriptions that you aren’t using keep renewing or you didn’t realize you had one. “Negative option” programs include subscription services that automatically renew, and trial marketing programs that charge a reduced fee for an initial period. Read more →

Today I received an email saying that my Social Security number was going to be suspended. Scam. Ironically, it was “signed” by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. I wonder if he was chosen for the scam because he’s a Tea Party conservative from Texas who people may think would come after them in other states. Read more →

I hope keeping up with recalls is one of the items on your “good consumer” list. On May 5, 2021, the Peloton Tread+ treadmill was recalled because incidents associated with pull under and entrapment in the rear of the treadmills, and the Peloton Tread was recalled because the console on the Tread could detach and fall, posing a risk of injury to consumers. Read more →

Don’t get tricked into signing up for a high-cost loan when you buy a used car. Credit Acceptance Corp. misrepresented the cost of credit and turned the car-buying experience into a nightmare for many of its borrowers, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and New York Attorney General’s Office charged in a lawsuit. Read more →

How was your holiday? Did you get lots of neat presents? Were you able to celebrate with family and friends? Were you exhausted when it was all over? I was fortunate because I was able to celebrate Christmas twice. My daughter from Spain came for an early celebration and my daughter from Sacramento drove up to Washington state, too. Read more →